Heavy haul vehicle

Abstract

A heavy haul vehicle has a chassis capable of supporting a load to be transported by the vehicle. A first group of one or more first drive axles and a second group of one or more second drive axles are coupled to the chassis. The vehicle also has a first engine and a second engine. The first engine drives each axle in the first group of drive axles. The second engine drives each axle in the second group drive axles.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A heavy haul vehicle comprising:
 a chassis capable of supporting a load to be transported by the vehicle; 
 at least four drive axles coupled to the chassis, the at least four drive axles comprising at least two frontward drive axles and at least two rearward drive axles; 
 a first engine and a second engine, both engines being side by side at a first end of the vehicle; and 
 the at least two frontward drive axles comprise a first frontward drive axle and a second frontward drive axle behind the first frontward drive axle such that the first frontward drive axle is between the first engine and the second frontward drive axle, and 
 the first engine is arranged to drive the first and the second frontward drive axles, 
 the first engine configured to impart torque through a drivetrain to the second frontward drive axle, and then from the second frontward drive axle to the first said frontward drive axle; and 
 the second engine is arranged to drive the at least two rearward drive axles; and 
 a steering system configured to steer one or more of the at least one of the frontward drive axles and at least one of the rearward drive axles. 
 
     
     
       2. The heavy haul vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one frontward drive axle comprises a first frontward drive axle and a second frontward drive axle behind the first frontward drive axle, and the first engine is arranged to drive the first and the second frontward drive axles. 
     
     
       3. The heavy haul vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein the steering system steers both the first and second frontward drive axles. 
     
     
       4. The heavy haul vehicle of  claim 3 , wherein the steering system comprises a front closed-loop steering control system arranged to steer the second frontward drive axle based on a steering angle of the first frontward drive axle. 
     
     
       5. The heavy haul vehicle of  claim 3 , wherein the steering system comprises a rear closed-loop steering control system configured to steer a steered rearward drive axle based on a or the steering angle of the first frontward drive axle. 
     
     
       6. The heavy haul vehicle of  claim 5 , comprising at least one non-steered drive axle disposed between the steered rearward drive axle and the frontward drive axles. 
     
     
       7. The heavy haul vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein the heavy haul vehicle is configured to be driven with power from only one of the first and second engines. 
     
     
       8. The heavy haul vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein the vehicle is a dump truck capable of transporting at least a 100 T payload. 
     
     
       9. The heavy haul vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein each drive axle supports two wheels at each end of the drive axle. 
     
     
       10. The heavy haul vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein each wheel supported by each drive axle comprises an 18.00R25 tire. 
     
     
       11. The heavy haul vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein the vehicle comprise five drive axles arranged one behind the other and the at least two frontward drive axles and the at least two rearward drive axles comprises: (a) three front most drive axles and two rear most drive axles; or (b) two front most drive axles and three rear most drive axles. 
     
     
       12. The heavy haul vehicle of  claim 1 , comprising a chassis extension coupling system at an end of the chassis releasably rigidly coupling a chassis extension, having an additional axle, to the chassis to enable an increase in load carrying capacity of the vehicle when the chassis extension is coupled to the chassis by the chassis extension coupling system. 
     
     
       13. A method of driving a haul vehicle comprising a chassis capable of supporting a container for transporting a load, the method comprising:
 driving at least two frontward drive axles coupled to the chassis with a first engine; 
 driving at least two rearward drive axles coupled to the chassis with a second engine; 
 wherein both engines are side by side at a first end of the vehicle; and 
 steering one or more of the at least two of the frontward drive axles and at least one of the at least two rearward drive axles. 
 
     
     
       14. A heavy haul vehicle comprising:
 a chassis capable of supporting a load to be transported by the vehicle; 
 five drive axles coupled to the chassis and arranged one behind the other the five drive axles arranged as either (a) three frontward drive axles and two rearward most drive axles; or (b) two frontward drive axles and three rearward drive axles; 
 a first engine and a second engine supported side by side at one end of the chassis, the first engine arranged to drive each of the frontward drive axles, and the second engine arranged to provide drive past the frontward drive axles to drive each of the rearward drive axles. 
 
     
     
       15. A heavy haul vehicle comprising:
 a chassis capable of supporting a load to be transported by the vehicle; 
 a first group of one or more first drive axles and a second group of one or more second drive axles each group of drive axles being coupled to the chassis; 
 a first engine and a second engine supported side by side at one end of the vehicle, the first engine arranged to drive each axle in the first group of drive axles, and the second engine arranged to drive each axle in the second group drive axles, wherein drive from the second engine to the axles of the second group of drive axles is provided by a drivetrain passing at least one of the drive axles of the first group of drive axles; and 
 a steering system configured to steer at least one of the first drive axles and at least one of second drive axles. 
 
     
     
       16. The heavy haul vehicle of  claim 15 , wherein the first drive axles comprises a front most drive axle and an adjacent drive axle behind the front most drive axle. 
     
     
       17. The heavy haul vehicle of  claim 15 , wherein the first drive axles comprises a front most drive axle and two further drive axles mutually adjacent each other and immediately behind the front most drive axle. 
     
     
       18. The heavy haul vehicle of  claim 15  comprising five drive axles arrange one behind the other wherein the first group of drive axles comprises three first drive axles and the second group of axles comprises two second drive axles and one of the second drive axles is located between two of the first drive axles.